Driver&#39;s sash assembly



P 1953 s. A. SPRETNJAK ET AL 2,852,816

DRIVER S SASH ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 9, 1958 iii/5n 21 z 2 4 23 [0 J l2 NO DRAFT AIR SCOOP FIG INVENTOR. POSITION POSITION STEVE A.SPRETNJAK DAVID L.RUTTER QMMKQM ATTORN E Y United States Patent Ofifice 2,852,816 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 2,852,816 DRIVERS SASH ASSEMBLY Steve A. Spretnjak and David L. Rutter, Elkhart, Ind., assignors to Excel Corporation, Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of New York Application January 9, 1958, Serial No. 707,956

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-52) This invention relates generally to vehicular window constructions, and has particular reference to an improved sash assembly which is adapted to be mounted adjacent the drivers seat in a bus type Vehicle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a combination sash unit or assembly which enables the driver to hand signal in the usual manner provided for in busses and, at the same time, enables him to properly control the amount of ventilation received, the latter having long been a problem with conventional arrange ments. To this end, the sash assembly comprises a sash guide frame in which two slidably mounted panels can be moved either fore or aft, and a wind wing member mounted on the frame in spaced relation to the panels which can be utilized either as a no-draft ventilator or as an air scoop.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a sash assembly of the above described type which can be installed as a unit with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a sash assembly of the above described type which is easy and efiicicnt to operate.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a sash assembly of the above described type which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a representative embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosure.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a sash assembly embodying the invention, looking at the exterior side of the assembly;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the assembly taken substantially along line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the assembly taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure l, the front sash panel having been moved rearwardly and the wing member shown in a no-draft position.

Having reference now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers designate the same part in each of the views, 5 indicates a continuous sash guide frame which is adapted to be secured by any suitable means in a window opening formed in the bus body adjacent the drivers seat. Mounted in the guide frame 5 for horizontal sliding movement relative thereto is a rear sash panel 6 and a front sash panel 7, the panels coacting to form a closure for the window when the positions shown in Figure l. Panels 6 and 7 are of substantially conventional construction and each comprises a continuous frame 8, sash glazing rubber 9, and shatter-proof glass 10, see Figures 3 and 4.

The sash panels are guided for fore and aft movement in the sash guide frame by inwardly projecting upper and lower guide ribs 11, 12 which are formed integrally with the guide frame and are respectively received in channels 11a, 12a in the upper and lower rails of the panel frames 8. In addition, the rear panel receives a side rib 13 formed in the guide frame and the front panel receives a side rib 14 formed in the guide frame when the panels are in window closing position, and, to insure weather tightness, conventional weather-stripping 15 is mounted in each of the rib receiving channels of the sash panels as shown. To this end, weather-stripping is also mounted on one or both of the panel frames as at 16, see Figure 4, to provide a seal therebetween when the panels are in window closing position.

The rear sash panel 6 can be moved forwardly into overlapping relation with the front panel 7 to open the rear half of the window, or the front panel can be moved rearwardly into overlapping relation with the rear panel to open the front half of the Window, or the panels can be moved into any desired intermediate positions. To facilitate movement of the panels, the rear panel is provided with a handle or finger grip 17 on its rear side rail and the forward panel is provided with a finger grip 18 on its front side rail.

Mounted on the exterior side of the sash guide frame 5 opposite the front sash panel 7 is a wind Wing or ventilator member generally indicated at 19. This wind wing member comprises a rectangular glass plate 20 and a U-shaped frame 21 of channel cross section in which the top, bottom and front edges of the glass plate are secured. The wing member 19 is supported in spaced relation to the sash guide frame, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, by means of a pair of vertically aligned brackets 22 which project outwardly from the top and bottom of the guide frame, the inner ends of the brackets being fixed in the upper and lower guide ribs 11, 12 by any suitable means.

Mounted on the outer end of brackets 22 as by screws 23 are plates 24, the bracket ends and plates being formed with complementary semi-cylindrical grooves in which vertically aligned spindles 25 projecting from the top and bottom of the wing member frame are journalled. With this arrangement, the wing member is pivotable about a vertical axis through the spindles 25, and the screws 23 can be adjusted to regulate the pressure thereon so that the member will swing easily upon the application of a positive force but will remain in any position into which it has been moved. To facilitate movement of the wing member, a handle or finger grip 26 is provided on the frame 21 at the front or leading edge thereof as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

When the front sash panel 7 is in its forward or window closing position, the wing member 19 is usually positioned in a substantially parallel plane as indicated in Figures l-3 and, due to its outwardly spaced mounting, it in no way interferes with the fore and aft movement of the sash panels for normal ventilation or hand signalling purposes. However, when the weather is very warm, the ventilation obtained by opening either the front or rear panel is usually not adequate for the driver and this deficiency can be remedied with the present arrangement by moving the front Sash panel rearwardly to open the front half of the window and swinging the leading edge of the wing member outwardly so that the wing be comes an air scoop. The wing member would then be in a position such as is indicated by the phantom line 27 in Figure 4, the height of the wing being less than the distance between the upper and lower guide ribs 11, 12 to enable it to swing freely into the planes of the panels within the confines of the sash guide frame 5.

When the driver wishes to have the front panel 7 open but wants a no-draft ventilator because of rain, fog or 3 cold weather, the leading edge of the wing member can be swung inwardly as shown in solid lines in Figure 4 to satisfy this condition. Since the wing member is considerably narrower than the sliding sash panels, and because it is mounted in spaced relation to the sash guide frame, the driver can still use the window for hand signals, if necessary, regardless of the position of the wing.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides an improved and highly practical sash assembly for the driver of a bus type vehicle, the assembly combining the advantages of an ordinary sliding panel arrangement with the advantages of a wind wing arrangement in a single, relatively simple unit. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiment disclosed is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle window unit comprising a window frame adapted to be mounted in a window opening formed in the vehicle body, a pair of movable sash mounted for horizontal sliding movement in said window frame, either one of said sash being movable into overlapping relation with the other to open a portion of the window, and a Wing member mounted on said window frame in spaced relation to said horizontally movable sash, said wing member being pivotable about a vertical axis into the planes of said sash when one of them is moved to open the window adjacent the member.

2. A bus drivers sash assembly comprising a sash guide frame adapted to be mounted in a window opening formed in the bus body, a pair of sash panels mounted for horizontal sliding movement in said sash guide frame, one of said panels normally serving as a closure for the forward portion of the window and the other panel normally serving as a closure for the rear portion of the window, either one of said sash panels being movable into overlapping relation with the other to open approximately one-half of the window, a wind wing member, means to pivotally support said wing member in spaced relation to said sash guide frame adjacent the forward portion thereof, said wing member being normally positioned in substantially parallel relation to said sash guide frame when said sash panels are in window closing position and being pivotable about a vertical axis to project a portion of the member into the forward portion of said sash guide frame when the panel normally providing a closure therefor has been moved into overlapping relation with the other panel, the height of said wing member being less than that of said sash panels.

3. In a slide and vent assembly adapted to be mounted adjacent the drivers seat in a bus type vehicle, a sash guide frame, a front and a rear movable sash panel mounted for horizontal sliding movement in said sash guide frame, said front panel normally serving as a closure for the forward portion of the window and said rear panel normally serving as a closure for the rear portion of the window, either one of said sash panels being movable into overlapping relation with the other to open approximately one-half of the window, a pair of bracket members projecting outwardly from said sash guide frame on the exterior side thereof, a wind wing member supported by said bracket memb rs for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said wind wing member being located opposite the front sash panel and normally being maintained in substantially parallel relation to said panel when the latter is in window closing position, said wing member being pivotable into the plane of said front panel when the panel has been moved into overlapping relation with the rear sash panel to open the forward half of the window.

4. Structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said sash guide frame includes upper and lower inwardly projecting ribs engageable with said sash panels to guide the horizontal movement thereof, the height of said wing member being less than the distance between said upper and lower ribs to permit the member to swing freely therebetween within the confines of said sash guide frame.

No references cited. 

